Hop picking mechanism



June 3, 1952 E, T s 2,599,080

HOP PICKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 24', 1947 INVENTORY 5000 4170 THYS.

A TTOPNEK Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,599,080 nor PI CKING MECHANISM Edouard Thys, Sacramento, Calif.

Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 781,825

This invention relates to hop picking mechanism and, more particularly, to improvements in hop picking fingers and bars. The present invention is in the nature of a continuation in part of my Patent No. 2,448,063, issued August 31, 1948, for Hop Picking Finger and Bar, and isadapted for use with portable hop picking machines, as illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,187,527, dated January 16, 1940, or in stationary machines of the eneral character illustrated in Patent No. 1,054,551, dated February 25, 1913.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a finger bar assembly wherein the picking fingers are formed and supported in a fashion to prevent breakage thereof during use.

It is another principal object of the present invention to provide a picking finger assembly comprising a plurality of resilient fingers, supported by a finger bar in a fashion that a resilient finger may be removed easily from the bar, if it becomes necessary, with a minimum delay in the operation of the machine with which the fingers are utilized and in a fashion that requires a minimum of skill.

It is the further specific object of the invention to provide a picking finger and bar assembly wherein the fingers, carried by the bar, are supported to prevent undesirable movement thereof relative to the bar.

It is a further specific object of the invention to provide a picking finger bar having means formed integral therewith to support the picking fingers at points of greatest stress incurred during use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a picking finger and bar therefor, which may be simply and inexpensively manufactured or serviced, when necessary, and which is composed of a minimum of parts.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the specification and accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side, elevational view of a picking finger and bar to which it is attached.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The present invention, as aforesaid, is in the nature of a continuation in part of the invention disclosed and described in my Patent No. 2,448,063 and wherein a plurality of picking fingers are disclosed as disposed in row formation along a finger bar in slidably interlocked relationship 6 Claims. (Cl. -30) with one another. Further, the fingers are mounted upon the finger bar in a manner to enable easy removal of the picking finger from the assembly by a slidable movement thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the finger bar comprises an angular bar, generally indicated at A, formed in the usual manner with right angularly disposed flanges, indicated generally at 3 and 4. Flange 4 is cut at predetermined spaced intervals to form upwardly and outwardly projected, obliquely inclined backing ears 5 and inwardly, downwardly curved pivot pin receiving means 6 of a rearwardly opening, semi-tubular configuration, as shown. A pivot pin, generally indicated at 1, formed of suitable gauge steel wire, is inserted in the pivot pin receiving means 6 longitudinally of the bar for the, purpose of engaging the picking fingers and retaining the same in place, as will shortly appear.

The picking fingers, generally indicated at B, are formed, preferably, from suitable spring steel wire bent to form a V-shaped picking portion 9, having side arms II and support arms I2. The ends of the support arms l2 are formed with coils, as at l3, which terminate in extensions l4. As best seen in Fig. 3, the coils have a diameter such as to loosely embrace the pivot pin 1.

Each picking finger is provided with an extended crimp at the junction of each side arm and support arm, as indicated generally at l5 (Fig. 2). The picking fingers, when positioned upon the finger bar, are arranged so that the crimped portions of adjacent fingers interlock slidably, as indicated in Fig. 2, to permit the desired interlocking of the fingers without destroying alignment of the said fingers mounted in row formation. The slidable interlocking of adjoining fingers is fully described and illustrated in Patent No. 2,448,063.

The coiled portions of adjoining picking fingers are positioned, as illustrated, below the backing ears 5 inthe manner indicated in Fig. 2 and in alignment with the pivot pin receiving means 6 formed on the flange 4. The pivot pin 1 is inserted through the pivot pin receiving means 6 and coils l3 in order to assemble the fingers with respect to the bar. In this connection it is noted that the extensions l4 extend rearwardly along the lower surface of flange 4. Thus, pressure applied upwardly against the picking portions 9 of the picking finger is resisted by. the backing ears 5 while downward pressure is resisted by the extensions 6 abutting against the bottom of flange 4 by which said extensions 6 and support arms l2 are angularly disposed relative to one another in general conformity to the oblique angle of disposition of ears and the bottom of flange 4 by which said extendsions 5 and arms I2 ar respectively supported in a manner which prevents effectively undesirable rotation of the fingers relative to bar A. In other words, the coils 13, positioned by the pivot pin 1, act as torsion springs urging the extensions l4 and the supporting arms [2 into engagement with the lower surfaces of the bar member A and the finger supporting ears 5, respectively.

After the picking fingers have beeen arranged in row formation along the bar, as heretofore described, and the pivot pin inserted to complete the assembly of bar and fingers, the ends of the pin may be turned back upon itself, as at I6, to lock the same in place.

A feature of the present invention is in the placement of the backing ears 5 adjacent to the coils I3 in order that the fingers are supported at the point of greatest stress. I have found that, by positioning the backing ears 5; as herein described, repair and replacement of picking fingers are kept toa minimum, even in viewof the heavy and varied operating stresses to which the fingers aresubjected.

Obviously, prevention of breakage of fingers is of great importance during the hop picking season in which the machine is used and the conse-- 1. A finger bar assembly for hop picking ma a.

chines comprising a bar member having along its front edge a plurality of longitudinally spaced upwardly and outwardly projecting finger backing earslying in a common plane oblique to said bar m mber, the portions of said front edge be tween said backing ears bein curved downwardly terminal extension projecting from said coiled portion rearwardly along the lower surface of said bar member, the abutting supporting arms of each adjacent pair of said "picking fingers being positioned below one of said finger backing ears.

2-,. A finger bar assembly for hop picking ma chines comprising a finger supporting bar memher having along its front edge. a. plurality of longitudinally spaced upwardly and outwardly projecting finger backing ears lying in a common plane oblique to said bar member, the portions of said front edge between said backing ears beingv curved downwardly and inwardly to. provide a plurality of pivot pin retaining elements longitudinally aligned below said bar member at the front edge thereof, a pivot pin. extending longitudinally of said bar member and positioned in said pivot, pin retaining elements, and a plurality of disengageably interlocked picking fingers die posed in row formation along said pivot pin, each of said fingers including a pair of spaced supporting arms of spring wire each having a coiled portion loosely embracing said pivot pin and a terminal extension projecting from said coiled portion rearwardly along the lower surface of said bar member, each of said finger backing ears being positioned above the abutting supporting arms of two adjacent ones of said fingers, said coiled portions constituting torsion springs urging said extensions and said supporting arms into contact with the lower surfaces of said bar member and said finger backing ears, respectively.

3-. As an article of manufacture, a finger bar for hop picking mechanisms, comprising a continuous finger supporting bar member having along its front, edge a plurality of longitudinally spaced. upwardly and outwardly projecting finger backing ears lying in a common plane oblique to said bar member, the portions of said front edge between said backing ears being curved downwardly and projecting rearwardly toward the opposite edge of said bar member to provide longitudinally aligned rearwardly opening channel members of, semi-tubular cross-section to receive a pivot pin.

A finger bar assembly for hop picking machines comprising a. finger supporting bar member having along its front edge a plurality of longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting finger backing ears lying in a common plane, the portions of said front: edge between said backing ears being curved downwardly and projecting rearwardly toward the opposite edge of said bar member to provide longitudinally aligned rearwardly opening semi-tubular pivot pin retaining elements, a pivot-pin extending longitudinally of said barimember and positioned in said pivot pin retaining elements, and a plurality of picking fingers disposed on said pivot pin in row formation, each of said fingers including a pair of spaced supporting arms of spring wire each having a coiled portion embracing said pivot pin and a terminal extension projecting from said coiled portion rearwardly along the lower surface of said bar member, each of said finger backing ears being positioned above the abutting supporting arms of two adjacent ones of said fingers, said coiled portions constituting torsion springs ur ing said extensions and said supporting arms into contact with the lower surfaces of said bar and said finger backing ears, respectively.

5. A finger bar assembly for hop picking machines comprising a finger supporting bar memher having along its front edge a plurality of longitudinally spaced upwardly and outwardly projecting finger backing ears lying in a common plane oblique to said bar member, the portions of. said front edge between said backing ears being curved downwardly and projectin rearwardly toward the opposite; edge of said bar member to providelongitudinally aligned rearwardly opening semi-tubular pivot pin'retaining elements, a pivot pin extending longitudinally of said bar memher and positioned insaidf pivot pin retaining elements, and a plurality of: disengageably interlocked picking fingers disposed in row formation alongsaid pivot pin, each of said fingers. including a pair of spaced supporting arms of spring wire. each having a, coiled portion loosely mbracing said pivot pin and a'terminal extension projecting from said coiled portion rearwardly along the lower surface of said bar member, each of said finger backing ears. being positioned above the abutting supporting arms of two adjacent front edge not occupied by said finger backing ears curving downwardly and extending rearwardly toward the opposite edge of the bar to provide a plurality of longitudinally aligned rearwardly opening semi-tubular pivot pin retaining elements, one of said elements being located at and extending to each end of the bar; a pivot pin extending longitudinally of said bar and positioned in said pivot pin retaining elements, said pivot pin having a diameter smaller than the inner dimension of said retaining elements so as to fit loosely therein and each end of said pivot pin being bent upon itself to embrace the end of the wall of the corresponding one of said pivot pin retaining elements; and a plurality of picking fingers disposed on said pivot pin in row formation, each finger including a pair of spaced supporting arms of spring wire each having a coiled portion embracing said pivot pin and a terminal extension projecting from said coiled portion rearwardly along the lower surface of said bar, the abutting supporting arms of each adjacent pair of said picking fingers being positioned below one of said finger backing ears. 1

EDOUARD THYS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 44,608 Crate Oct. 11, 1864 251,591 Jaeger Dec. 27, 1881 1,092,136 Burchess Apr. 7, 1914 1,095,966 Hayden May 5, 1914 1,493,292 Sweeney May 6, 1924 1,602,729 Walters Oct. 12, 1926 2,191,183 Thys Feb. 20, 1940 2,222,767 Gray Nov. 26, 1940 2,336,280 Miller Dec. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,869 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1887 171,464 Switzerland Aug. 31, 1904 211,990 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1924 

